15 Easy Food Resolutions that Will Help You Lose Weight and Get Healthy — Without Dieting

Make 2020 the year that you take care of yourself better. Start with these small changes that have huge effects on the way you look and feel. You’ll lose weight, have more energy, and become healthier.

#1 Eat more homecooked meals

Takeout meals and canned food are packed with preservatives, salt, and fat. You’re ruining your health (and derailing your diet) for food that doesn’t even taste good. Don’t have time to cook? Try salads or sandwiches, or pre-prepare ingredients on the weekends.

#2 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water! Most of us have hidden signs of dehydration like dizziness, loss of concentration, and irritability. Keep track of fluid intake by bringing your own water bottle, eat hydrating fruits like pineapple and watermelon, and use an app to track what you drink.

#3 Stop stress snacking

There’s nothing wrong with a mid-day snack — it’s why or what you eat. If you’re really hungry, try these 15 healthy snacks that satisfy cravings and keep you full. But if you’re just stressing out, then food’s not going to make you feel better. Try taking a walk, listening to music, or watching a short funny video.

#4 Take charge of your shopping list

Healthier food starts with healthier ingredients. Make a meal plan, and then make a grocery list. You’ll only buy what you need, and avoid filling your cart with junk food and sweets. This will help your budget — and your waistline! (Read about healthy anti-ageing food you can buy at any Singapore supermarket.)

#5 Get healthy oils

Coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil — these are packed with antioxidants and can even be used for DIY beauty masks. Use them on salads, quick sautes and baking.

#6 Know your portions

Stay within your calorie count and still get balanced meals with this “handy” guide to portion sizes from GuardYourHealth.com

#7 Know when to buy organic

Most pesticides can be washed off produce, but some kinds of fruits and vegetables tend to absorb more of these dangerous compounds. They’re called “The Dirty Dozen” — so if you’re going to eat them, be sure to get organic.

• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Sweet bell peppers
• Potatoes
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Apples
• Pears
• Cherries

#8 Watch out for hidden sugars

We know high sugar diets can lead to diabetes and weight gain, but it can also mess up your skin (it’s been linked to acne and wrinkles). The sudden sugar spikes and crashes in your blood sugar level can also affect your mood and energy levels.

You know to stay away from cakes, but be wary of hidden sugars in so-called healthy food: peanut butter, yoghurt, balsamic vinegar, breakfast cereal and granola, and fruit smoothies. Just watch the portions, and read the label of everything you buy. “Sometimes, low-fat food or low-salt can have high carbohydrates,” says nutritionist Jenna Ainsley.

#9 Take a healthy snack before a workout

Fueling up before a workout can give you the energy you need to finish your sets and maintain proper form. If you’re doing weight training, load up on proteins two hours before. For lighter exercises like yoga or a short cardio, you can take a lighter snack like a banana or a small bowl of oatmeal.

#10 Switch up your meal plans

The biggest reason why people give up on their diets? Boredom. Who wants to eat salads every day? Introduce variety into your meals: different flavours, textures, colours. Luckily, you have thousands of healthy meal options at your fingertips. Look for Buddha bowls and hearty salads that combine complex carbs with proteins and healthy fats, green smoothies that fill you up with vitamins, vegetarian alternatives to your favourites.

Save your recipes (try recipe organizer CopymeThat or any free food app) and never be bored by your diet again!

#11 Get your Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids can help lower blood presure and cholesterol, and they’re also good for the skin! They’re found in fatty fish like salmon, avocados, peanut butter and more. You can also get fish oil supplements.

#12 Eat your meals on time

It’s easy to lose track of time at the office; you wade through the emails and suddenly realize you’ve missed lunch and had nothing but coffee for breakfast.However, skipping meals messes up your metabolism, and you’re so hungry you’ll eat anything!

Pack yourself a healthy lunch and snacks you can eat in the office. You’ll control your portion sizes and calories, and since your sugar levels stay steady your concentration and energy levels will improve too.

#13 Download a meal app

This is the best way to track your nutrition levels, meal times, calories and water intake. Some apps will also let you set fitness goals, and record your workouts. It;s like having a coach and weightloss buddy at your fingertips.

#14 Get better sleep

Did you know that sleep deprivation can actually make you gain weight? It messes up your hormones, which affect your appetite and metabolism. You also tend to eat more — probably to make up for lower energy. A recent study shows that people who had less than 8 hours of sleep, tend to eat about 400 calories more than usual the next day.

#15 Practice healthy swaps

You don’t have to go on an extreme diet to eat healthier, lower calorie meals. Even small changes can help! Swap rice for quinoa or a heaping serving of vegetables. Order black brewed coffee instead of a latte. Follow the “1 Swap a Day” rule and you’ll soon feel the effects on your health — and your waistline.